Poor radio reception aftermarket head unit

Has anyone else had crappy reception in a 2nd gen? I have an aftermarket clarion touch screen hu in my 05 and I don't get half the reception that I have had in my previous vehicles. I don't have a stock hu to plug in to check if that makes a difference as the truck came with the clarion deck. The antenna is plugged into the deck, I have played around with the connection and that's not the issue. On my gf's vw the reception went bad and I had to replace the antenna base. Are the antennas in our trucks powered like the vw ones? The antenna base in the golf had a circuit that would amplify the signal. Her antenna crapped out because of salt and dirt getting under the seal and causing an arc. Is there a powered circuit in the Tacoma that might go bad or is there something else I'm missing?

 

if it makes you feel better, i get crappy reception with the stock headunit...

 

Haha. I don't expect great reception but my gf's grandmothers Tacoma with stock deck gets the stations that I don't.

 

try messing with you antenna mount bracket, it might be grounded thru there. then my only other opinion would be to get a new antenna but first test it by just simply plugging it into the back before fully installing it.

 

I will try that, do you have to remove the inner fender plastic to get at the antenna base or is there an easier way?

 

hate to say it but it might just be the deck... clarion does much better with amps and such than they do on decks...

 

I was hoping that it wouldn't come down to being the deck, but I am planning on upgrading to something that will work with my iPhone and with Bluetooth. I'm going to try playing with the antenna base but if that doesn't help I'll have to live with it until I upgrade... Time for some stereo research!

 

My 06 reception sucks with the original and my Premier aftermarket. Switching to the aftermarket did not improve my reception at all.

 

That's not good news. I seem to be getting poor signal in places that others with the same truck have good to great reception. I am going to tear into this on the weekend. Anyone else have any suggestions?

 

Siriusxm! Or get a headunit that supports pandora and itunes. I got the flagship jvc and i never listen to the radio, but ya reception got worse compared to stock. Bluetooth with iphone works pretty good, there is an extenal mic, i mounted it in the change door so it is hidden, my girlfriend says i sound kind of quiet but she can hear me fine. It doesnt play itunes or pandora through bluetooth tho, you can use a usb cord or buy the jvc cord that supports video also. I can also control pandora and itunes on the headunit, navigation could be better tho

 

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